


When their best wasn't enough

by luxuriousvoyage11



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 20:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14941101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luxuriousvoyage11/pseuds/luxuriousvoyage11
Summary: Tessa & Scott at the 2005 Nationals.





	When their best wasn't enough

2005 for Tessa and Scott meant one thing: going to the Olympics in Italy. Their holiday and birthday celebrations that year were fleeting, a weekend here and there to unwind and rest their muscles just to put hours of on and off ice practice at the rink and gym. Every part of their lives was scheduled and scrutinized, no time to focus on the things most 16 and 18-year-olds were doing at that time.

They both had heard from their parents “if you do your best, you will succeed.” It was a reassuring affirmation, something that served as a reminder on mornings they found themselves struggling to get out of bed or frustrated while not getting one of their lifts perfect. They were trying their best nonetheless, putting in 110% whether it was during practice or a competition like Nationals, where they just completed their best three ice dances that season.

They were elated and confident and just knew that, because they had tried their best, they were gonna succeed and beat those Olympics. “We got this T, I know it,” Scott had said confidently, his smile so bright and relaxed that she couldn’t help but match his excitement. They separated near the dressing rooms, quickly changing to meet back with their families and coach with smiles so bright it was like they had already won.

Until, of course, they found out they hadn’t; the years of practice and mental preparation and sacrifices they made all seeming like they were for nothing when they both find out theyhadn’t quite qualified for the upcoming winter games.

Kate and Jordan Virtue burst through the dressing room doors promptly, seeing a pale-faced Tessa with runny black mascara hunched over one of the benches. Jordan watched her mother approach Tessa like a scared, wild animal - slowly and calmly, bending down to meet her daughter’s gaze.

The moment their matching green eyes met, Tessa couldn’t hold it back anymore. A loud sob escaped her mouth, her hand shooting out to cover her mouth and throw her head on her mom’s shoulder. Kate immediately rubbed her daughter’s back calmly, feeling her own tears well up at just imagining how her daughter felt. Jordan approached them almost immediately, hugging her sister on the other side of the bench.

“I’m so sorry, Tess,” she said, the sadness in her tone evident. It was only met with another loud sob, the three Virtue girls crying in the dressing rooms and marveling at the fact they were all so sure they had done enough.

Just outside those doors on the other side of the room stood Joe Moir, contemplating going into the men’s room to check on his son. When a fellow athlete opened the door to leave, the sounds of metal slamming were heard and the man didn’t hesitate in rushing in. A few feet away stood his son, anger etched in his face with glassy eyes and scratches already forming on his knuckles.

He approached his youngest in a hurry, grabbing his arms roughly and pulling them away from the metal locker. “Scott,” he said firmly. His hazel eyes met his fathers and it took a few seconds for all of the anger to vanish, being replaced with sorrow and disappointment, his head burrowing into his father’s neck.

“This can’t be real,” he mumbles, voice strained due to his effort in holding back the tears. His father didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything, because he was just as crestfallen; he just hugged his son tighter and squeezed the back of his neck reassuringly, hoping something good would eventually come out of this.

They remained like that for a few moments until that part of Scott that was so intertwined with Tessa, the unexplainable bond and connection, made him pull away from his father. “Where’s Tess?” he asked urgently, suddenly all too aware that his partner was going through the same thing and he wasn’t there.

“She’s probably in the-“

“Where is she!” he repeats louder before charging towards the locker room door. He makes a sharp right, dodging the few people standing around until he saw the familiar face of Kate Virtue down an empty hallway. His partner was beside her, looking so small and fragile and sad that his heart broke even more that night and his feet picked up speed.

Similar to the feeling Scott had moments ago, Tessa lifted her head to see him heading towards her and her lip immediately started to quiver. She shrugged away from her mom’s arm around her shoulder and the two teenagers slammed into one another. His hand clutching her hair, her head buried in his shoulder, and their arms wrapped around one another like their lives depended on it. He finally felt his own tears coming and they wouldn’t stop, their quiet sobs breaking their parent's hearts as they watch the two kids grieve.

Scott’s crying got Tessa’s attention and she picked her head up, their wet, red eyes meeting and they were never more grateful to have one another than right now. “Why-why did this happen,” she squeaks out, “we tried so hard Scott, we did everything we could possibly do and we…it just-“

An unexpected whimper leaves her mouth and Scott places his hand on the back of her head, pulling it down gently to rest back on his shoulder. “I know, T, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry,” he whispers in her ear. He feels his shirt getting damp from her tears and he’s only aware of their parents watching them when he hears Alma and Kate attempting to silence their own cries. His own tears have stopped but he still feels an intense heaviness in his chest, not only from the news but Tessa’s current state of defeat.

“I can’t do this again,” she mumbles against him. The more she thinks about what they did to get here, the worse she feels and in this moment, she can’t even imagine putting herself through it again. Scott gently lifts her head off his shoulders and cradles her face, his thumbs rubbing at her wet cheeks with a soft expression that had been starting to transfer to their off-ice relationship throughout the years.

His touch is so gentle and sweet and she moves further into him, the two teens in their own world as silent proclamations of love and loyalty and respect are shared between them, no matter what. They don’t know it yet, but a similar look will transpire four years later in front of a Canadian crowd after skating their gold medal performance.


End file.
